Police Partnerships

Sharing resources, expertise and cost, for smart use of taxpayer dollars.

Our partnerships are an integral part of the Sheriff's Office. Our relationships are crucial to protecting our residents while offering many resources, cost-effectively, tailored to each community's needs.

- Sheriff Mitzi Johanknecht

Unique identity

Local control

The Police Partnership Program

Our partnership program provides the framework and options around
which a city or other agency can tailor its own police department to
suit its own local priorities and budget goals. Police staffing
levels, crime emphasis, and proactive community programs are all
determined entirely by the city or agency. The benefit is gained by
leveraging economies of scale with the King County Sheriff's Office
patrol, investigations, and numerous specialty services.

Savings through economies of scale

The U.S. has roughly 18,000 separate local law enforcement
agencies. Each agency has basic systems and infrastructure needs,
such as officer recruiting, training, uniforms, vehicles, and legal
support, just to name a few. Because there are so many separate
systems and infrastructure needs, duplication and redundancy are
created. By combining efforts to share infrastructure, resources and
expertise, taxpayer dollars are used more efficiently. Partners also
have the benefit of constant access to officer backup from other
nearby partner city officers or unincorporated Sheriff’s Office
patrol deputies (called “cross dispatching”), which
allows partners to staff at efficient and cost-saving levels.

A lot is included.

It's actually easier to detail what's NOT included. Services not
included are: jail, court services, animal control, prosecution, and
public defense. Everything else that you need to run a successful,
experienced, and highly trained police department is included.
(See this
link because we couldn't fit it all in this box!).

Identity and control stay at home.

A key principle adopted in our shared city interlocal agreement is
that, "each city should have the ability to choose unique police
uniforms and markings for police vehicles assigned to the city."

Today, partner cities and agencies wear dark blue or black uniforms
with unique police patches. Partners also design their own vehicle
markings, provided that some form Sheriff's logo is retained on the
vehicle (you'll usually find it by the mud flap!). In addition to the
unique police department's "look," partners have complete control
over policing priorities, department staffing, police program type,
and selection process for their police chiefs.

As well, police chiefs report directly to the city
manager/administrator or agency executive, and function like any
other department head. Our priority is keeping identity and control
where it belongs--with the partner city or agency.

Cost works...

Costs are determined a number of ways, depending on what service
is selected. The majority of shared service costs are determined by
actual use of a service, while dedicated costs (such as a full time
officer) are determined by that particular officer’s salary,
benefits, etc. Centralized services and equipment items, such as
employee payroll, are included as a cost per officer. Regardless of
how costs are determined, they are fully transparent, so you know
what you are getting for your dollar.

It's easily doable. And you keep your department.

There isn't much difference between your police department now,
and your police department in partnership with the Sheriff's Office.
We hope the primary difference would only be fewer headaches and less
police cost. However, for specific information about how new
partnerships work, and about transfers for existing commissioned
and non-commissioned police employees, please see our New
partnerships Q&A information.